SDS100/SDS200: Charging?

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mandlair

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Hi all, I have had my sds 100 for about 2 weeks. Well after getting the serial port to work, Now I can move on to the scanner okay here is my question. With my scanner set to no charge while on, Connected to my laptop battery voltage stays at like 3.84 does not drop? So I'm thinking better off let it charge while on let green light come, But if it stays on I guess still getting a trickle charge just like when it is set to no charge while on? Anyone else noticed this? thoughts? thanks Mike
 

RadioSc

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I don't know how it's mantaining a charge when it's set to off while charging. Some how your SDS 100 is pulling a charge while set to off. I know my SDS 100 will drain when its plugged up to my PC when set off to charging. I always keep that option on charging while on. Only disadvantage there is it will take longer to charge while it's on.
 

KK4JUG

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It's not likely that your computer is providing the power needed. Most computers put out considerably less than 1A. The power supply that came with the scanner is 2A. I would only use the computer for updating.
 

mandlair

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Seems to charge fine, I just don't know why it would maintain 3.84 volts while plugged in? If I set to charge while on it charges as it should? And I like to log and use virtual control as I'm scanning!
 

mandlair

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Yeah, I know I was responding to KK4JUG reply! I put a question mark where it should have an exclamation point....lol And I should have answered to his reply. So I'm still not sure why it maintains 3.84 volts? I guess it is getting a little bleed voltage for some reason?
 

KK4JUG

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Maybe that's the best the battery can do. People have talked about their batteries showing 4.2 volts on a full charge but the best I can get out of either of my SDS100 batteries is 4.12 and 4.13, respectively, and that's using the OEM power supply or the Uniden external charger.
 

mandlair

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So after a few day's of watching battery meter, I still don't know why it is charging at all with setting to no charge while on? If I have it plugged into laptop while on still maintains like trickle charge i.e. 3.84 if unplug it voltage slowly drops as it should? I think it is not right? Right now i have it set to charge while on because I let it run down and red light is on until charged as it should,But after fully charged and charging off while on is set will still maintain voltage? Normal?
 

trentbob

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Just to confirm some findings here. When either charging with the radio on or the radio off it records 4.21 when the light goes green. When I unplug it I never get better than 4.12.

I mostly use the radio stationary at home along with my others but occasionally use it in a portable application where I make sure I run it out to 3.5 then fully recharge if I'm going to continue using it on portable.

If I'm going to use it one time in a portable application after fully charging it to 4.21 then I will run it down to about 3.75 or so then plug it in with charge turned off while on. I like to do that because if I'm not going to use the battery again for a while I'd like to have it sitting around 3.8 and not fully charged because of the bulging battery issue I don't want to leave a full-blown charge in the battery for long periods.

When I turn the radio off and leave it off I always unplug the wall wart so it'll stay at 3.8 consistently. When I go to use the radio again I plug the wall wart in and the red light goes on for a few seconds until the radio gets turned on and I'm still at 3.8 If that makes any sense.

Just to confirm doing it this way the battery does slowly lose its charge.

Hope all that makes sense.
 

mandlair

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Okay, I guess my question should be. With charging off while the unit is on, the voltage stays @ 4.20 it started @ 4.12! I'm I right in thinking it should not be charging at all? While plugged in to my laptop? Is that normal?
 

trentbob

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When you plug the radio in even though charge while on is not enabled, for some reason it reads a higher number then it did before you plugged it in.

That's why a fully charged radio will read 4.20 while it's plugged in but, when you unplug it, it goes to 4.12, that is the best I ever get when it is not plugged in.

so... if you've got 4.20 while the radio is plugged in and charge while on is not enabled you are not getting any charge to the radio whatsoever and if you left the radio on day after day without shutting it off that number would slowly go down as the battery would lose its charge because charge while on is not enabled and you are running off your power source.

Does that help answer your question?
 

mandlair

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When you plug the radio in even though charge while on is not enabled, for some reason it reads a higher number then it did before you plugged it in.

That's why a fully charged radio will read 4.20 while it's plugged in but, when you unplug it, it goes to 4.12, that is the best I ever get when it is not plugged in.

so... if you've got 4.20 while the radio is plugged in and charge while on is not enabled you are not getting any charge to the radio whatsoever and if you left the radio on day after day without shutting it off that number would slowly go down as the battery would lose its charge because charge while on is not enabled and you are running off your power source.

Does that help answer your question?
That is what I'm saying it never drops until I unplug it! Like a trickle charge!
 

trentbob

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Upman has confirmed that you will see a lower number after you remove the plug and the radio is running on battery and this is normal, I don't think going from 4.20 to 4.12 is normal but that's what mine and others have occur.

If you are plugged in and the radio is turned on and you are in the option of charge while on not enabled the only trickling that's happening is out of your battery not into it LOL.

In other words the discrepancy of the two readings between plugged and unplugged doesn't seem to have anything to do with any actual charging going on it's just another one of those flukes.

I remember participating in some threads regarding this in the past so try Googling the issue several different ways and you will come up with all the threads talking about this and Upman's comments about it.
 

RadioSc

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Yes confirmed I had my SDS 100 with charge while on disabled. But it was reading a higher voltage while plugged in. It does that because you're basically running off the AC wall Power supply. Instead of using your Scanner battery power. But the thing is. If you have it set to charge while on disabled. Its not charging the battery at all. It's just using the External power instead.
 

trentbob

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Yes confirmed I had my SDS 100 with charge while on disabled. But it was reading a higher voltage while plugged in. It does that because you're basically running off the AC wall Power supply. Instead of using your Scanner battery power. But the thing is. If you have it set to charge while on disabled. Its not charging the battery at all. It's just using the External power instead.
Sounds right to me but remember every time I turn the radio off while it's plugged in I always unplug the wall wart and since I only use it at home and I'm rarely using it as a portable I like to keep it at around 3.75 or 3.8 consistently because of the potential battery bulging problem which could be more likely to happen if you are always charging it to full capacity and storing it that way all the time.

I use my apx gear for portable use that's why my sds100 it's basically for home use only... I use sds200s at work.

It doesn't seem like this battery bulging problem is a big deal and I've only read about it happening a handful of times but I'm careful to stick to keeping the battery around 3.8 all the time. (y)
 
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